Running Bull

Wow. Just to the climber's left of the big dihedrals of the center wall, left on Big Chief are 2 bolted face climbs, Flame Thrower (10d,

left

) and Running Bull (11c,

right

). Do these climbs in the AM, while they are shaded.

Running Bull starts weird right off the ground, and get weirder as you go. Go up and clip the first bolt, the head up and right to the next bolt, coming down to remove the first draw unless you clipped it with a 2' sling to avoid rope-drag. (

These issues have been addressed

)Continue up and right, then back a little left past perhaps 4 or 5 more bolts to reach a tricky 5.10+ crux just below a lower angle section to a ledge, which is just below a slick light face. Continue up the slick white face past a few 5.11 moves to the second bolt on that section, then to the true crux of the route (5.11+) which is just plain HARD in the heat/sun. The shallow holds, tiny feet, slopers and sharp pockets will take their toll regardless, but don't make it harder!

After the real crux, getting past the next clip (difficult clip) then up and left, the climbing eases up for a bit, passing another clip or two to the anchors.

You can lower off with a 70M rope, but certainly not with a 60M.

Sustained and pumpy. Maybe harder than 11c; It felt like 5.12. Definately leagues harder than any other 11 I did in the Tahoe area, and the only route I tried that I couldn't on-sight. It felt harder than several "5.12's" I've done in other areas lately.

Full disclosure: I yarded on a draw to clip, then to inspect a hold.

about 15 draws to a bolted anchor.Some of the clips are very hard to make.